What attracted you to working with the OAE?
It’s a wonderful orchestra with dedicated, exciting players.

What’s been one of the highlights of your career so far?
Singing for the Queen in her jubilee year at the Proms. Recently the first night of the Proms in Elgar’s The Kingdom. Singing for the first time in Melbourne, Mahler’s 2nd symphony… One of many and they are always highlights.

If you could only perform the music of one composer for the rest of your life, who would it be?
Handel-Bach-Elgar-Mahler!!!

When you’re not busy performing, what do you like to do in your spare time?
Paint, knit, spend time with my husband

What do you fear the most?
Two things …Plane crashes and losing people I love. I’m not exactly afraid of flying though.

If you could choose to work in a different profession, what would it be and why?
Painting… Because I would love to be able to devote time to it.

If you could have dinner with any famous person (dead or alive) who would you choose?
Barry Cryer or G F Handel.

What are you listening to at the moment?
Caro Emerald… Or Carlos Kleiber’s Beethoven 7th symphony.

Which book do you think everybody should read?
What a carve up! By Jonathan Coe. A positively virtuosic novel, highly entertaining and cleverly inspired by a film.

What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
Sometimes you have to wait for the best things in life… But they’re worth waiting for.